On the 12th of March, the Prime Minister initiated a commemorative ‘Dandi March’ to celebrate the 75th year of Independence, referred to as ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
The 2021 Dandi March in Brief
The foot journey, or ‘padyatra’, features 81 participants travelling from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to Dandi in Navsari, covering a distance of 386 km. The march aims to conclude on the 5th of April, 2021, after 25 days. The event recognises the descendants of those who partook in the original Salt March in 1930. The marchers will replicate the route travelled by the 78 individuals who accompanied Mahatma Gandhi on his trek from Ahmedabad to Dandi, including two others who joined midway. Significant events have been scheduled at six locations related to Gandhi, including Porbandar, Rajkot, Vadodara, Bardoli (Surat), Mandvi (Kutch), and Dandi (Navsari). The march also includes 21 culturally rich programmes in rest stops along the way.
A Look Back at the 1930 Dandi March
The Dandi March, also known as the Salt March and the Dandi Satyagraha was a nonviolent civil disobedience movement led by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. The march lasted from 12th March to 6th April, 1930 and was a protest against the British salt monopoly. Gandhi began the journey from Sabarmati with 78 followers, covering a 241-mile route to the coastal town of Dandi on the Arabian Sea. Here, Gandhi and his supporters defied British policy by making salt from seawater. This act of defiance sparked civil disobedience actions across India, soon involving millions of Indians. As a result, more than 60,000 people were arrested by British authorities.
The Aftermath Of The 1930 March
Gandhiji himself was arrested on 5th May, but the satyagraha continued in his absence. In January 1931, he was released from prison and agreed to call off the satyagraha in exchange for an equal role at a London conference discussing India’s future. Though this conference did not meet Gandhi’s expectations, the British leaders acknowledged him as a force that could neither be suppressed nor ignored.
Background to 1930 Dandi March
The Lahore Congress of 1929 had allowed the Congress Working Committee (CWC) to engage in a programme of civil disobedience, which included non-payment of taxes. The CWC meeting at Sabarmati Ashram in February 1930 gave Gandhiji the authority to begin the Civil Disobedience Movement as he saw fit. Whilst Gandhiji’s ultimatum to Lord Irwin, the Viceroy of India, with minimum demands was dismissed, it set the stage for civil disobedience.
Impact and Significance Of The Movement
Civil Disobedience continued in different forms across various provinces, resulting in a significant drop in imports from Britain. For instance, the import of cloth from Britain fell by half. The movement expanded beyond previous efforts, with the involvement of women, peasants, workers, students, merchants and shopkeepers, giving the Congress an all-India status. The support from both urban and rural poor was notable, marking a crucial stage in the anti-imperialist struggle. This event provided Indian women with their most liberating experience to date, marking their entry into public space. Even though the Congress withdrew the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1934, it brought global attention to India’s struggle for independence.